Carol to receive endurance prize at Mayo Sports Stars Awards
Carol Commons swam 52.5 kilometres from Co Down to Scotland in August last year, becoming the first person from Connacht to do so.
2025 saw swimming phenomenon Carol Commons up the ante with her greatest challenge to date.
A member of Kilcummin Swimming Club, Carol was honoured at the 2024 Western People Mayo Sports Stars Awards for her remarkable long-distance sea swims from Baltimore in Co Cork to the Fastnet Rock and across Galway Bay from Co Clare to Salthill. However, she raised the bar even further last year when determined to complete the triple crown of open water swimming by conquering the North Channel from Ireland to Scotland.
It was a route she had taken on before – and fallen agonisingly short of finishing – but Carol was not to be denied when returning for a second crack last August.
The Killala woman set off from Bangor Pier in Co Down and after eighteen hours, 58 minutes and 28 seconds, she emerged successful from the waters and set foot on Scottish land to become the first person from Connacht to ever complete the North Channel swim between the two countries. Not bad for someone who only took up the sport in their mid-30s!
Such were the strength of the currents on the day that instead of 40 kilometres, Carol had been forced to cover the phenomenal distance of 52.5 kilometres just to make landfall and achieve her goal.
She now joins an elite list of winners with multiple Mayo Sports Stars awards to their name.
